Pope Francis is denouncing the “perverse abuse of power” on display in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russian missiles have hit the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for the first time, a key location that had been spared from the assault until now.ROME -- Pope Francis on Friday denounced the “perverse abuse of power” on display in Russia’s war inand called for aid to Ukrainians who he said had been attacked in their “identity, history and tradition” and were “defending their land.”
It came just days after Francis told the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, that the concept of a “just war” was obsolete since wars are never justifiable and that pastors must preach peace, not politics. In his comments Friday, Francis did not mention Russia by name — evidence of the Vatican’s tradition of not identifying aggressors and its attempts to keep open a dialogue with Kirill's church. But Francis strongly backed Ukraine.
“The blood and tears of the children, the suffering of women and men who are defending their land or fleeing from the bombs shake our conscience. Once again humanity is threatened by a perverse abuse of power and partisan interests, which condemns defenseless people to suffer all forms of brutal violence.”
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